Gensokyo's Four Seasons
by Shadow1176
Summary: Winter. Everlasting, stuck in the cycle of nature as one of four seasons. The only season that I emerge. Autumn. Ever changing, always present, at peace. A Shrine Maiden's peace. Spring. Cheerful, joyous, exuberant, displaying warmth and flowers. A time to announce. Summer. Lazy, peaceful, yet unbearably hot. Perfect for a sloth. The Four Seasons, belonging only to a single youkai.
1. A Winter Youkai

A/N: A School piece, adapted into a story. Please enjoy.

Winter.

A bitter cold, freezing winds, terrible frost.

A season for animals to hibernate or move away, as each returns to the lifestyle similar to humans.

The very season that I emerge during.

My name is Letty Whiterock, a Youkai found only during the winter, as the other seasons are far too hot for my body to handle.

Casualties. Death. The frost has claimed many lives before, regardless of what time period we reside in.

The drab skies fall quickly to the darkness of the night, reducing our daylight to near nil.

The fields of snow and ice freeze over the crops, as the plants remain barren, dead and empty of life.

To most, winter was a time of strife, rationing, cold, and darkness.

Yet to myself, I appreciate the finer contours of such a wonderful season.

The simple quiet of the forests, with no animals and humans to interrupt the calm of nature.

The gorgeous sights of glistening snow and sheer ice formed upon rock cliffs, reflecting their light rays to all those who observe such beautiful phenomenon.

Only evergreen trees retaining their leaves, the rest barren and hollow, snow and ice instead taking the place of where leaves once resided in the form of icicles and frosted snow.

So few humans outside, many deciding to remain home, and enjoy the inner comforts of home.

Youkai out in bounds, as the various Winter exclusive Youkai emerge in droves, to enjoy what little time they can spend on the surface, whether they come from the mountains or underground.

Even if I spend most of my time alone, there are two others that I could call my friends.

The first, a fairy known as Cirno. Boisterous and always claiming to be the strongest, she was an endearing child, and a good friend that one could rely on without hesitation.

The second, also a fairy simply known as Daiyousei. Calm and level headed but also shy, she was adorable to many others for her personality, and was one of the few people I could talk to freely.

The landscape covered in pristine white, the background incredible and wondrous to the human eye.

The beautiful stars come out in full display, their shining lights piercing the night skies with their incredible glare.

All seasons have their perks, yet to me, I see Winter as the most beautiful of all, the most thought invoking of any of the four.

And as the snow melts away and the flowers begin to bloom once more, I retreat into my abode, to live the rest of the year underground, where the temperatures are appropriate for myself.

After of course, giving Cirno and Daiyousei my farewells, both of them waving as I retreat below.


	2. An Autumn Shrine Maiden

Autumn.

Fleeting, ever changing, quick in view and fast in movement.

The start of bitter winds and low temperatures, of the harvest of Autumn crops.

A precursor to the cold, but also a time of peace, of seasonal change from hot to cold.

The trees shift and turn, their leaves melding into new colors and faces and shapes.

As I stand in my shrine, sweeping away at the numerous leaves of all colors and shapes, a fierce gust of wind blows, whipping the trees and ground into a frenzy, a veritable maelstrom of leaves surrounding me as I witness their movement.

The maelstrom of leaves continued, spinning around much like a certain curse goddess.

So simple, so insignificant, so powerless were the leaves.

Yet, their beauty lay within that very simplicity, that very weakness.

In the storm of leaves that I stand within, a single red maple leaf, pristine in color and rich in texture, floats down gently, dropping right into my outstretched hand.

As the leaves, so numerous in color and quantity, ranging from red, orange, yellow, green, even brown, die down upon the ground of the Shrine with the wind's relenting hold, the maple leaf that I held in my hand fell to the ground in a second, as I continued sweeping, my duties taking precedence over a few leaves, much as I loved and appreciated nature.

As I look off in the distance, more sights can be seen.

The trees, thousands of them bearing their old leaves, many of them lost in the inevitable wind that came to blow them away.

The sky, covered in bleak, grey rainclouds but also with bright blue, the sky painted a picture of both sadness and joy, of despair and hope, of terror and safety.

The sun, once a scorching ball of discomfort, now a pleasant temperature for those inclined to colder environments.

Now a mellow yellow rather than the scorching orange it was only a while back, it's rays warming and comforting to all.

In the distance over the Forest of Magic, the bright lights of Danmaku can be seen, as a Spell Card Duel took place. Judging from the massive lasers and numerous explosions that accompanied the beautiful display of magic, it was most likely Marisa and Alice sparring once again.

As the last of the leaves were moved to the compost heap, I set them ablaze with a simple fire spell, taught by Mokou, before a voice called out, "Reimu! Dinner's ready to made!"

"Coming!"

As I walk back into the shrine, to my family, only one thought crossed the Hakurei Shrine Maiden's mind.

Autumn, in all of its peace, is the most precious of the four seasons.


	3. A Spring Fairy Herald

Spring.

The season of budding, of rain, or flowers.

Vibrant in shade and beautiful in view, Spring was indeed a wonderful season, filled with nature's reawakening from the harsh chill of Winter's cold embrace.

What were once barren trees showed faint signs of life, the icicles of Winter having melted off and the smallest of buds appearing.

Gently, the soft wind sails through the land, capturing all in its breeze.

The temperature slowly increases from the once coldness, gradually reaching temperatures in which Winter would end.

Though Winter may leave, its traces never fade, much of it living on in areas such as the Misty Lake.

As Winter makes its final stand, with a certain Yuki-Onna moving into hibernation, another fairy takes up the mantle of the new season.

The moment that fairy appeared, the once hidden sun broke its cloud cover, shining brightly with warmth as a single message rang out across Gensokyo.

"IT"S SPRING!"

The joyous shout comes from none other than Lily White, the Fairy Herald of Spring.

Above the landscapes of barely budding plants and the emergence of several animals, comes the Spring Herald, spreading her message through Danmaku and shouts of exuberance.

As her powers awaken the dormant energy that is Spring itself, the land she travels above begins sprouting and flourishing, nature shifting its seasons to yet another, her voice reaching the core of nature to communicate with the rest of Gensokyo.

Far below, youkai and humans of all sorts emerge from their rest, some annoyed, some overjoyed at the announcement, as the fairy continued to spread her message.

With her good cheer and power at full, Lily let off several barrages of Danmaku, colored green as she preferred, many of the bullets impacting against the ground instead of people, laughing as she did so.

Directly below her resided the Human Village, the streets filled with what was a veritable line of open air carts, many of them florists and gardeners eagerly awaiting her flyby.

For Lily's power was of the awakening of Spring, and as such her mere presence was enough to coax the once dormant plants into full bloom by means of releasing the spiritual energy stored within.

Pausing her Danmaku, she flew to ground level, continuing to announce Spring as cries of happiness and gratitude echoed out as she flew through the main street, the plants reaching full bloom in seconds.

Pulling up to the fading cries of thanks, Lily continued her journey to announce Spring to all of Gensokyo.

The wind blew gently against her, the breeze refreshing and comforting as the feel of silk.

The clear blue skies, with nary a cloud in sight, the sun shining brightly, and the patterns of Danmaku resolved to join forces in the announcement of Spring, with Lily at its head.

The Hakurei Shrine, well kept and cleanly as always came into view, its cherry blossoms opening in a magnificent show of beauty, the storm of opened petals flowing through the area like a hurricane, spreading all over.

Surrounded by the magnificent numbers of petals, she floated through, twirling about with the innocence of a child in the storm.

The garden in its back, maintained by the Shrine Maiden who was accompanied by a large group of others, sprouted just as the others did, their yield growing quickly and elegantly, the Shrine Maiden below waving in thanks.

Speeding on, the fairy continued her journey, finally appearing at the edge of field of sunflowers, her excitement uncontainable as she sped through, straight towards a large pink flower, under which a hint of green hair gleamed.

And as Lily flew through the air, a single message crossed her lips, massive in scale and powerful in volume.

"I love Spring!"


	4. A Lazy Summer Oni

Summer.

Powerful heat, an epic sun, drowsiness falling over every place in Gensokyo.

"So... bored..."

Under the willows and trees of the Hakurei Shrine, lay an Oni.

Suika lay under the willows, her hair billowing in the breeze.

Her eyes were glazed, a touch of sleep-

_Zzzzzz..._

And of course, she's drunk.

The heat bore down on the land of Gensokyo, a tireless menace upon the lives of those who hated the high temperatures and scorching blazes. Yet elsewhere remained those that preferred these humid conditions and overbearing heat. These were youkai of the summer season, those who thrived in the time where exhaustion came over much of the populace.

But where is the little oni? Where is the focus of our little tale?

Her eyes blearily blinked, her vision still adjusting to the harsh rays of sunlight that had awoken her from the alcohol induced nap.

A mighty yawn emits from her, the cicadas jumping into a frenzy at the monstrous noise, till a broom smacks her straight in the head.

Stars floated around her head, a light headache forming as she heard the scoldings of her friend, Reimu.

Though her small lecture continues, Suika only glances upwards.

Though no ice lined the trees, and no leaves fell from their branches, nor did the vibrant cherry blossoms bloom, the trees were lush and and the grass was wonderfully green.

Summer's effect had captured the land in a heat wave, and yet it also enveloped the land in glorious light. No spot was left dark, as the rays of light spread throughout the land, illuminating all and heating all.

Further out, the villagers were hard at work. Tilling, planting, harvesting, selling, buying, cooking, sleeping, working, for while the heat waves spread their delight to all, the humans continued to work, toil, and produce.

A small smile graced the oni's lips. Was that Sanae, spreading the Moriya faith around the village?

Reimu's eyes had followed her own, honing in on the blue and white shrine maiden before sighing.

Suika giggled, already knowing what her mind was saying.

Despite the more popular faith in the Moriya, the Hakurei would forever remain Gensokyo's most valued and worshipped shrine. For who greater was there than those who protected their lives?

The soft cranking of a grinder prickled at Suika's ears, as she turned to see Reimu's hands working at a shaved ice machine. Delight spread across her face, as the lazy oni skipped over to partake in the treat.

Yet another element in the season of Summer.


End file.
